Vehicle Registration and Legal Responsibilities
Vehicle Registration and Legal Responsibilities tests the paperwork and duties that make a vehicle legal to use - and what you must do after a crash.
Registration essentials
- A vehicle must be registered with RTAD and display the correct number plates.
- Keep the Certificate of Registration in the vehicle; it evidences who is responsible for it.
- Road tax and any required fitness inspection must be current, especially for commercial vehicles.
- Compulsory third-party insurance must be valid; without it you may not be registered or may not drive lawfully.
- Report change of ownership, address or engine to RTAD promptly; a sale is not complete just because money changed hands.
After a collision
Stop, switch on hazard lights, check for injuries and call emergency services. Do not leave the scene. Exchange names, addresses, licence and registration details. Report the collision to the police as required. Never drive away from an injury crash.
Worked example
You buy a used motorcycle and ride it home on the seller's plates. The registration still names the seller, the insurance may not cover you, and you have no written transfer. The legal route is to complete the transfer at RTAD, obtain your own registration and insurance, and only then ride it.
Traps
Driving an unregistered or uninsured vehicle. Lending your vehicle to an unlicensed driver. Failing to report a collision. Assuming the seller's insurance covers you. Keeping expired road tax because 'the car is off the road' without declaring it.